This article is part of our FanDuel MLB series.
Maybe on Monday night you may be watching something other than MLB, but that doesn't means you can have DFS lineups in. Plus, with the first pitch at 7:07 p.m. ET, you can watch some baseball before you check in to see if Aaron Rodgers rebounds this year (and wonder why you should care). There are 11 games on the slate. Here are my recommendations.
Pitching
Brandon Woodruff, MIL vs. MIA ($11,000): Woodruff's return to the rotation has been vital to the Brewers in their quest for the NL Central title. In six starts since a lengthy absence, the righty has a 2.78 ERA and has struck out 10.9 batters per nine innings. The Marlins hit for average, but don't do much else, which is why they are in the bottom six in runs scored.
Framber Valdez, HOU vs. OAK ($10,800): There have been a couple disappointing performances in the Astros rotation in 2023, but not Valdez. Once again, he's going to finish the season having allowed fewer than one home run per nine innings, and he has a 3.30 ERA, including a 2.91 ERA at home. Houston shouldn't have an issue with Oakland, and Valdez should be able to handle an offense that is last in runs scored and team OPS.
Alex Cobb, SF vs. CLE ($8,600): Cobb himself has said he expects to return from a hip issue to face the Guardians on Monday. I can see why he'd look to get on the mound during this series. One, since 2021 he has a 2.37 ERA at home. Two, the Guardians are last in home runs as a team.
Top Targets
If Julio Rodriguez ($4,500) had started his torrid run a little earlier, he might have followed up his Rookie of the Year campaign with a top-three finish in the MVP vote. He has an 1.102 OPS over the last three weeks, and he's up to 29 homers and 36 stolen bases. Reid Detmers has a 5.60 ERA on the road, and Rodriguez has an .860 OPS against lefties for good measure.
While he's been having a bit of a drought when it comes to homers, Rafael Devers ($3,900) has still been hitting and has a .272/.344/.503 slash line. Plus, since 2021 he has a .921 OPS versus righties and an .885 OPS at home. If Devers goes yard Monday, I won't be surprised. Clarke Schmidt has a 5.29 ERA on the road, and in his career lefties have hit .303 against him.
Bargain Bats
As the White Sox begin to worry more and more that Andrew Vaughn ($2,900) won't pan out after spending a high pick on him, at least there is some comfort to be taken in his .770 OPS against righties, and in his 19 home runs on the season. Sure, Vaughn hasn't become a slugger, but Brady Singer has a 6.91 ERA on the road and righties have hit .313 against him. That's good enough for me.
Last season, MJ Melendez ($2,800) was surprisingly better against his fellow lefties. This year, he has a .753 OPS versus right-handed pitchers and has regressed against southpaws, which is a little more plausible and sustainable. He also has an .783 OPS over the last three weeks. Not only did Dylan Cease never find his footing this year, he has a 7.65 ERA over his last eight starts. On the season, lefties have hit .276 against him as well.
Stacks to Consider
Cubs at Rockies (Kyle Freeland): Nico Hoerner ($3,800), Dansby Swanson ($3,600), Seiya Suzuki ($3,600)
Ahh, series at Coors Field. Let's make the most of these while we can. Freeland has struck out a mere 5.58 batters and allowed 1.72 homers per nine innings in 2023, helping pave the way to a 5.36 FIP. The lefty has allowed righties to hit .312 against him, making this stack an easy choice for me.
Hoerner doesn't have homer power, but he's batted .280 with 26 doubles, not to mention 38 stolen bases. He can use his speed to his advantage at Coors Field, even if he doesn't go yard. Swanson just hit 20 homers, as a shortstop, for the third season in a row. Lefties have played a part in that, as he's slugged .462 against southpaws in that time. Suzuki has been hot, as he has an 1.159 OPS over the last three weeks. He has an .886 OPS on the road as well, and there is no better park for a hitter to visit than Coors.
Mets vs. Diamondbacks (Zach Davies): Pete Alonso ($4,000), Brandon Nimmo ($3,300), Jeff McNeil ($2,900)
On the one hand, Citi Field has suppressed offensive numbers for a few Mets, including a couple in this stack. On the other hand…Zach Davies. Davies has a 5.34 ERA over the last three seasons. He has an 8.38 ERA in away games in 2023. Lefties have hit .277 against him, while righties have batted .297. With the pitchers taking the mound and the assorted matchups Monday, I like this stack.
Alonso's power is so massive I can't resist, even if he is worse at home. He's hit 43 homers and slugged .530. Plus, since the start of August he has an 1.037 OPS at Citi Field, so his home woes have been less pressing. Often leading off for the Mets, Nimmo has a .354 OBP with 23 homers and 78 runs scored. His .786 OPS at home isn't bad, and his .847 OPS against righties puts him over the top for me. A career .298 hitter, McNeil has surprisingly seen his average dip all the way down to .265 (a .289 BABIP has played a role). However, he's hit .290 over the last three weeks, and he has a .753 OPS at home.
Astros vs. Athletics (Ken Waldichuk): Jose Altuve ($4,200), Chas McCormick ($3,500), Jeremy Pena ($2,700)
The Athletics haven't declared a starter yet, but it is looking like it will be Waldichuk. If it isn't him, it may be fellow lefty JP Sears or a bullpen game. Regardless, stacking three righties looks good to me. Presuming it is Waldichuk, in his career he has a 6.92 road ERA and has allowed righties to hit .279 against him.
Altuve has posted a .910 OPS over the last three weeks. While he's been better on the road, and against righties, in 2023, since 2021 he has a .912 OPS versus southpaws and a .915 OPS at home. McCormick has been better at home, as per usual, where he has a .925 OPS. He loves a matchup with a lefty, though, and has an 1.093 OPS in those matchups this year. Pena is not as prolific as his two teammates, but the shortstop has a .261 average with 10 homers and 11 stolen bases. He does have an .845 OPS against southpaws in his career, though.
